The order came on an appeal filed by Subhash Chandra Agarwal seeking information on the selection process of the awardees. “Please specify how it is possible for a selection committee of about 10 members to select about 100 Padma awardees out of a list of more than 1,000 in one or two meetings,” Agarwal had asked. He asked if it is “true that the selection committee only fulfils the formality of endorsing a pre-approved government list in some hours only to meet guidelines fixed by the apex court?”

In reply, Habibullah said, “It will definitely not be proper if the personal information concerning certain personalities, who were recommended but not considered for grant of the award for any reason, is disclosed and made public. It will surely be at the least a social embarrassment and may amount to invasion of privacy. The commission is not convinced that details concerning them be made public and become a subject matter of public scrutiny.”